As Long As We're Family
by ButterbeerJelloShots
Summary: An AU oneshot about Harry's first day to Hogwarts, had there been no prophecy, and James and Lily lived.


A/N: I wrote this a really long time ago, so long ago I don't even remember when it was. I found it in the deepest ruins of my documents, and decided to post it up here. So, have fun!

As Long As We're Family

"Harry! Harry, wake up!" Harry Potter slowly opened his eyes, seeing a cascade of auburn hair draped over a heart shaped face. Two wide green eyes twinkled at him, and he groaned. "Harry, come on, wake up! It's your first day of Hogwarts!" Harry rolled over in his four poster bed, looking at the clock on his bedstand.

"Mum!" He groaned. "It's only seven o clock!" He looked up at his mother, who was smiling down at him in the faint glow of the early morning sun. "I know, but it's your first day! Come on, I've already made you breakfast!" Lily Potter smiled again, a mischievous glint in her eyes, one she'd adopted from her husband. "Besides, now you can go wake your father up." Harry smiled, and crawled out of bed.

Lily winked at him, then turned and walked out of the room. Harry put his feet down on the warm maroon carpet, yawning. _Finally_, he thought, _I'm going to Hogwarts! _With that thought to motivate him, Harry stood up and padded to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and dressed.

Walking down the hall toward the stairs, Harry stopped outside his parent's bedroom. He peeked in, and seeing a lump under the white comforter, walked inside. He quietly tiptoed to the bed, leaned over his father, who was snoring loudly, and placed one hand on his father's shoulder.

Now, Harry could have gently shook James awake, being a polite person. But the memory of all the times his father, and his uncles Remus and Sirius had woken him with a round of filibusters fireworks put a grin on his face, and probably gave him the right to wake his father the way he did.

"PRONGS!"

Harry had put his mouth an inch from James' ear, yelling his father's nickname. James' eyes snapped open, and he struggled with his blanket in his urge to get to his wand. All he succeeded in doing, however, was tangling himself in his blanket, and falling with a loud thump to the wooden floor below.

Harry was doubled over, clutching his stomach. The laughter traveled through him, making his shoulders shake. James heard the laughter and looked at Harry, a murderous glint in his eyes.

"Harry!" His father yelled, freeing himself from the tight clutches of his blanket. He stood up, then casually walked over to Harry, his eyes narrowed. Harry was still laughing, which prevented him from stopping his father putting him in a headlock.

"Hey! Dad!" Harry yelled, struggling. He managed to twist his body, placing himself behind James, and jumped on his back, reaching his arms around James' neck. Try as he might, James couldn't free himself from the death grip Harry had on him. James flailed his arms helplessly, lost his footing, and tripped. Harry and James fell to the floor with a resounding crash, still wrestling each other, both laughing.

"James Potter!" They heard, and looked at the doorway to find Lily standing there, her hands on her hips. "You let go of him right this instant!" Harry laughed and stood up. "But- I- but- Lily! He started it!" James sputtered, quelling under Lily's stare. Lily had a way of making grown men feel like boys every time she gave them The Look. James shoulders dropped, and he knew he'd been defeated.

"Harry, come on, time for breakfast." Lily sang, putting an arm around Harry's shoulders. James took his chance, freed at last from the clutches of The Look, and stuck his tongue out at Harry. Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled at her husband, who smiled back, and the three of them walked down the stairs together, laughing.

"Now Harry. Let's go over the rules once again, shall we?" James Potter said, his voice low. They were sitting in the kitchen, at the table. Harry grinned. "First and foremost, do not take any advice from your mother. Second, do not, I repeat, do not; listen to your mother. She was always the perfect one. 'Oh, I'm Lily Evans, I'm going to be top of my class, I'm going to be prefect, I'm going to be a Hogwarts professor! I'm going to-" James stopped, at the look on Harry's face. Horror mixed with amusement. James bit his lip. "She's behind me, isn't she?" Harry nodded, grinning.

Lily stood behind him, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "James Percellius Potter!" James and Harry both flinched at the sound of James' middle name. They both knew he was in for it now. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! I will not allow you to corrupt my only boy! He is going to be a good student, not a silly marauder! And I will not-"

"The marauders aren't silly! Stupid, and ugly, in James' case, but never silly." Harry heard and looked up to see his godfather, Sirius, standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a muffin in his hand. He was grinning, looking at the scene before him with much amusement. "Sirius!" Harry whooped, and abandoned his breakfast. He walked over to his godfather, who quickly took Harry's glasses.

"Oh, look at me, I'm Harry Potter!" Sirius sang, placing Harry's glasses on his own face. Harry jumped, trying to retrieve his glasses, but Sirius was much too tall. "Don't I look **_so_** pretty in my new glasses?" Sirius said, posing. James and Lily looked on, James laughing, and Lily torn between amusement, and anger.

"Accio!" They all watched as Harry's glasses flew to the outstretched hands of Remus Lupin. "Sirius, are you ever going to grow up?" He said, but he was chuckling. He tossed Harry's glasses back to him, and Harry placed them back on his face, smiling at his Uncle Remus.

"Hey, Uncle Remus." Harry said, now too excited to finish eating. "Where's Tonks?" Lily asked Remus. "She'll be here in a little while. Nymphadora had to go help her mother with something." Remus said, sitting at the table next to James. Lily set a plate in front of him, as well as a plate for Sirius, who jumped down into his seat, and began shoveling food in his mouth.

Harry stood looking at them all, smiling. They were all laughing, because Sirius had turned Remus' eggs into tap-dancing beetles. Lily was standing behind James, James looking up at her. Although his parents argued, because his father simply refused to grow up, they loved each other so much that Harry sometimes wondered how they had enough in them to love him as much as they did. Looking at all of them, his parents, and his uncles, he couldn't imagine life without them.

His family.

Harry walked through the barrier between platforms nine and ten, his father's hand on his shoulder. They straightened up and waited for everyone else to come through. When they had, his mother, Sirius, and Remus now followed by Tonks, Lily took her son's arm and led him over to the Weasleys.

Harry quickly spotted Ron, his best friend, and they ran off to find a compartment. Fred and George, Ron's twin brothers helped them push their trunks into the last compartment, then ran off to find their friend, Lee Jordan. Harry heard someone call his name, and looked around to see his mother beckoning him over.

Harry walked back to the group, Ron at his side. As excited as Harry was about going to Hogwarts, he couldn't help but feel how much he was going to miss them all. His mother, always taking care of him. His father, always there to find some way to anger Lily. And Sirius and Remus, the pranks they would pull with Harry.

Sirius and Remus pulled Harry aside. "Harry, we've got a little present for you." Sirius pulled a piece of parchment out of his robes, and handed it to Harry. As far as Harry could tell, it just looked like a bit of parchment. He looked up at Sirius, confused. "What is it?" Sirius chuckled, tapped it with his wand, and muttered, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Harry almost gasped as he saw what it was. "The Marauders Map, Harry. We're passing it onto you." Harry grinned at Sirius and Remus, who were beaming back at him. "But you can only have it if you promise to use it to get in trouble." Harry nodded, then felt an arm on his.

"Harry, I've got something for you." James said, and handed Harry a lumpy package wrapped in brown paper. Harry tore it open, and saw a silvery cloak slide out of it. "But, dad. This is..." Harry started, and James smiled. "My invisibility cloak. It was with me, Remus and Sirius all through school, and now I'm giving it to you." Harry was at a loss for words. His father pulled him into a hug.

He heard sniffling behind them, and turned to see his mother, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, mum, _don't_." He said, moving forward into his mother's outstretched arms. "My baby boy." Lily sobbed. "I'm going to miss you so much." She held onto Harry, as if she was never going to see him again. "Mum, I'll be fine, don't worry." Harry said, and Lily finally pulled away. "You be good. Don't listen to anything your father said. Don't get you and Ron into any trouble. Be careful. Send Hedwig along with a letter the second you get there. Don't give the professors too much trouble, make sure you study." Lily said, still crying.

"Don't worry, mum." Harry said, smiling at her. At that moment, the whistle on the Hogwarts Express sounded, and Harry felt Ron tugging on his arm. "C'mon, Harry!" Ron said. Harry gave his parents one last hug, then Sirius, then Remus, and Tonks. He bade goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well, who hugged him. Taking one last look at them all, Harry jumped into the compartment after Ron.

They all stood there; Lily, James, Remus, Sirius, Tonks, and Molly and Arthur, staring after the boys. Lily was still sobbing silently, while James put his arms around her. Lily wrapped her arms around him as she watched her baby pull out of the station. James looked on with pride, while Remus and Sirius watched with grins on their faces.

Harry watched out the window until he could no longer see them. The Hogwarts Express chugged along, and he and Ron sat down to play Exploding Snap. They laughed, and talked, but Harry was still thinking about the scene that he'd watched as he'd watched out the window when they were leaving.

He saw them all, as clear as if he was still looking out the window at them. He grinned, and he privately thanked whoever it was up there who'd blessed him with his family. Wildly, he wondered what it would be like if he didn't have them. Shaking the thought away, he grinned again. He couldn't imagine it. He didn't think he'd be able to bear it.

He didn't know why, but just then, the song his mother always sang to him when he had a nightmare popped into his head.

_Hush sweet child. _

_There's nothing to fear._

_You're safe in my arms,_

_As long as I'm here._

_And you should know,_

_The love in my heart,_

_Will always protect you,_

_Even when we're apart._

_Nothing's so strong as_

_All of us standing_

_We'll never be broken,_

_As long as we're family._


End file.
